Kaiba Gaiden
by Lei Mortagashi
Summary: The Kiaba brothers meet a girl who Seto isn't exactly fond of. Later though, they discover a secret about her and her whole family. Note:I do not own the characters of Yu-Gi-Oh or said monsters. The OCs however are mine and you will not touch. Sk x OC.
1. Chapter 1: Some Bios to Start You Off

**Name: **Guillmaume Francquis (Cook)

**Age: **

**Birthday: **September 23

**Blood Type: **A-

**Height: **

**Eyes: **Brown

**Hair: **Black

**Complexion: **Average

**Description: **The personal chef of the Kiaba household. He started while Noah was still young and he was 21-ish. After Noah's accident, and meeting Kokoro, he was somewhat cold to outsiders. Inspired by Kokoro's openness/slightly goofiness, he warmed up to those outside the family. While Gozoboro (was alive) away, at work or otherwise, he was mainly in charge with the kids and his punishments were neither cruel nor easy. Usually it consisted of a big dinner's dishes with no half assing it. Affectionatively, Kokoro and the others called him 'Cook' because the kids had difficulties saying his French name, and Kokoro would always emphasize the 'Gui' part of it. He often refers to them as 'the kids who are not really his'.

**Name: **Kokoro Mouto (Ko, Kookie)

**Age: **21

**Birthday: **May 21

**Blood Type: **O-

**Height: **5' 9"

**Eyes: **Violet

**Hair: **Black with blonde streaks

**Complexion: **Light Tan

**Description: **The heiress to the Dragon throne and executive employee at Kiaba Corp. She and Seto Kiaba have known each other since they were 12 and were tutored by the same man for a few years. When Gozoboro hired her father as a tutor for Noah, he began to notice the potential in her. After finding out that most public schools honor roll or equivalent weren't to her liking; and private school was too expensive for her family to pay for, Gozoboro agreed to pay for her schooling. She openly refused to go to boarding school (pointing out that they're a bunch of bores with money to waste and mock you with) and fiestily so, Noah was almost instantly smitten with her. Disappointed, Gozoboro attempted to convince her to go over a quiet game of chess, which he lost. Surprised by her accomplishment, he offered to allow her to attend her father's lessons with Noah. While not in love with the idea, she agreed only because she wouldn't have to move away. Until the time of his accident, Noah fell deeper and deeper in love with her; because of her openness, beauty, intelligence and that she was the only one who rejected him. She didn't hate him, but she didn't like him either. She Seto and Mokuba were adopted, she welcomed them openly, only to get a negative-ish response from Seto. At first he didn't like her because she was there, then she and Mokuba became fast friends. While 'Kookie' originally came from her brother, Mokuba took a shine to it and started calling her 'Kookie'. Yugi called her Kookie because everybody likes cookies and she's really sweet.

**Name: **Michelle Underwood

**Age: **21

**Birthday: **

**Blood Type: **AB-

**Height: **5' 5"

**Eyes: **Deep Purple

**Hair: **Purple

**Complexion: **Average

**Description: **One of Kokoro's best childhood girl friends. As a young girl she had been rambunctious and a prankster, especially to her younger brother Weevil. She's also very temperamental about any relationship she's in; you screw her over, your life will be hell until she either forgives you or you drop off the face of the earth. By profession she is a personal trainer, and uses that athleticism to her advantage when in battle and when playing pranks. As per her relationship with Vallon, it's not as good as it could be because of Damien. While all her friends (including Kiaba) tell her that Vallon is not at fault, she insists he is and proceeds to make his life hell. Despite her ranbunctiousness, her greatest fear is the sight of blood. Her hemophobia came about when she (without thinking) jumped into a gang fight to save Kokoro and Seto. Seto's nose was broken and bleeding, while Michelle had been deeply stabbed and was gushing blood. Seto's nose she didn't see, but she watched herself half bleed to death and the devastated look on her friends face. Owing a great debt to Kokoro's father (who healed her wound), she made a promise to defend Kokoro to the best of her ability. But despite all her setbacks, at heart she's a good person and friend.

**Name: **Colette

**Age: **21

**Birthday:** January 3

**Blood Type:** B

**Height:** 5'5½"

**Eyes:** Clear Blue

**Hair:** Originally Brown, Blond

**Complexion:** Fair

**Description:** Of the four girls in Kokoro's group of childhood friends, she's the most mature and reliable. She's already finished med school and working on her PhD. Generally she's a little on the nosey side, but will back off if you tell her so or if you ignore her for long enough. She's also bubbly and gets along with most everyone she meets. It takes a lot for her to hate or even dislike someone, or for her to be rude to them. Upon meeting the Kiaba brothers, she could see the Dragon Spark in them and predicted (to Ko, Mic, and Steph) that in the years to come, the two of them would become valuable allies. In her predictions, she is almost never wrong.

**Name:** Stephenie

**Age:** 21

**Birthday:** August 18

**Blood Type:** B

**Height:** 5'7"

**Eyes:** Blue

**Hair:** Fire Engine Red

**Complexion:** Average

**Description:** Kokoro's BFF, best female friend. She's known Ko the longest and is the only one of the three who approve of Ko and Seto. Michelle thinks there's no man right for Kokoro (or women for that matter). Colette doesn't like the fact that they keep it so secretive, that only them, Mokuba, Yugi and Joey (who's sealed) know about it. Stephenie understands more of the issue than she lets on to anyone but Alister and Ko. She's extremely fond of her hair color and gets fussy when you poke fun at her about it, because it is natural. As an interior designer, if you move something in a room she's remodeled, she will know it. Even if it's the slightest bit; she's very proud of her work and takes her time while designing a room. Her work includes the Turtle Game Shop and Seto Kiaba's office at Kiaba Corp.

**Name:** Rease Mouto

**Age:** 51-ish

**Birthday:** September 11

**Blood Type:** A

**Height:** 6'2"

**Eyes:** Green

**Hair:** Brown

**Complexion:** Tan

**Description:** The reigning Steward of the Dragons. He gained this position after his older brother's death in a 'freak accident'. Since 'taking the throne' the threat of treason significantly rose due to his tyranic rule. At first no one took note of his barbaric ways until he slapped the entire Dragon world upside the head by convicting Seto Kiaba of treason. Aside from being the youngest member of the council, his guardian spirit is also the Guardian of Light; The Blue Eyes White Dragon. As Kiaba's memory was about to be erased, Kokoro burst into the room with pages of evidence to prove her friend innocent. Enraged by the stupidity of the case, he immediately threw is out. But behind closed doors, he scolded his son Reed, who brought up the charges, for the failure of the case. Entirely behind the trail, the Steward's attempt to be rid of Seto Kiaba flopped. The idea behind the trail was to be rid of a sympathizer of Kokoro so he could keep his tyranic rule. The only one to bring an end to it is Kokoro and the followers of the Crown Jewel.

**Name:** Reed Mouto

**Age:** 20

**Birthday:** November 17

**Blood Type:** B

**Height:** 6'2"

**Eyes:** Green

**Hair:** Brown

**Complexion:** Tan

**Description:** The false prince (as dubbed by the Crown Jewel followers) of the Dragons. Yugi's older cousin who has his sights set on Téa Gardener, who constantly denies him. Reed is hardly affectionate with anyone in his family. This is because he only sees them as obstacles for him and his father to overcome to acquire the throne permanently. He mostly despises Yugi because he's accomplished so much in his life, while Reed hasn't accomplished quiet so much on such a grand scale. He's also taking online classes for a degree in political sciences, much to everyone's surprise. He's known more for his brawn than his brain, he's the family idiot.

**Name:** Damien Truesdale

**Age: **21

**Birthday: **January 14

**Blood Type:** A-

**Height: **5'10

**Eyes: **Blue

**Hair:** Brown

**Complexion:** Average

**Description:** Vallon's younger twin brother and an asshole to boot. The two of them had never been very close because Damien is the kind of person who will take what he wants and not give a damn about anyone else. While most of this was because Vallon was better at everything they ever tried, including getting along with their younger brother Rex. Going on to become rivaling delinquents, Damien was the worse of the two and went to prison on multiple occasions. After Vallon started to turn his life around (after Waking the Dragons and Kokoro's counseling), Damien started to as well until he met Vivian Wong, who offered him a chance to get revenge via the Empty Crown campaign. In the campaign, it was his job to cause chaos within the Crown Jewels ranks; one way his did so was breaking up his brother Vallon and Michelle, one of the Princess's best friends.


	2. Chapter 2: Dream Sequence 1

"_No!!! NOAH!!!" There was nothing in the vast perimeters of my power to help him. My father held me from his now crippled body, nothing within his power either. Locked in his arms, I wept for the boy who was my schoolmate. I wept large tears of anguish and misery. Loss is a feeling I do not relish, but loathe._

_ My tears were not alone in falling. His mother's tears soaked the front of Gozaboro's suit, shirt, and tie; his arms pulled around her in an attempt to comfort her. His face was conflicted with pain and sadness._

_ "You..."she whispered after a long pause, causing us to look at Noah's mother. She turned to me, mad with grief. "You brought this on my son!" The three of us stared._

_ "What-what are you talking a-about?" I managed to stutter out. She sobbed._

_ "You w-wanted him to die..." she sputtered. A fresh, heavier wave of tears almost choked me._

_ "I may not have entirely liked him, but that doesn't mean I wanted him to die!" I tore from my father's embrace and fled the room._

_ "Kokoro!"_


	3. Chapter 3: Adopting We Will Go

Her blue eyes shot open and she gasped in surprise. She was on a comfy couch at the Kiaba manor, her father hovering over her. Kokoro had been dreaming about Noah's death again. She could tell, the spot where her face had been was wet with tears.

"You gave me a start Kookie," her father mumbled softly, and patted her head. "Have a look at the TV. Gozaboro's on again." She looked at the TV and wiped her face. Mr. Kiaba was donating money to an orphanage, locally. She stared at the TV.

"What's he up to?" Kokoro asked in concern. Gozaboro never did anything with out a plan or alterior motives.

"He's moving on with his plan I think. Even with Noah physically dead..." he trailed off, then picked up the remote and turned off the TV.

"I'm going with him," Kokoro said suddenly. He father turned to her in confusion.

"Going where? With who?"

"Mr. Kiaba to the orphanage. I'm gonna go with him."  
"I don't know how much he'll like that Kookie. His intentions weren't to find you a playmate," he answered, trying to mask his dislike of the idea.

"I know. But I'm better with people. He'll probably let me go," she insisted. He let out a sigh.

"IF you're so determined..." he got up and went tot he phone. He picked up the receiver and pushed a button for speed dial.

"Yes, put me through to Mr. Kiaba in his office...Ryuu Mouto...Thank you." He waited only a few moments before he got an answer.

"Yes Ryuu, what is it?" answered an obviously cranky businessman. The two of them met in college as roommates, allowing them to be open with each other.

"Lighten up you old sour puss." Kokoro tried not to laugh. Ryuu was always telling him things like that, but Gozaboro didn't like it.

"Don't you tell me to lighten up!" he bellowed through the receiver. Ryuu smirked, he had his attention. "What do you want? I'm busy."

"I have a proposition for you, old friend." There was a short pause.

"Go on."  
"About this visit to the orpha-"

"Ryuu, there is nothing to discuss about this-"

"Gozaboro, just hear me out. It's not about going or whatever. It has more to do with Kokoro going with you," Ryuu stated before the receiver could be slammed down on the other line. He heard the squeaky chair creek, Gozaboro sat up.

"What about her?" The anger in his voice fled and now concern bled into it.

"She wants to go with you..." Gozaboro started to yell until the words sank in, then he quieted, not knowing how to answer.

"What for?" Gozaboro asked, almost gritting his teeth. Kokoro leaned over the arm of the couch and reached for the receiver.

"I think it would be better if she explained it. She's right here." Ryuu handed his daughter the phone and she began to explain herself.


	4. Chapter 4: I Am My Father's Daughter

It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It wasn't a pig sty like her room often turned into. She walked beside Gozaboro and the caretaker quietly, as she had been asked.

He suddenly sniffed and made a noise of disgust. "You do bathe these little urchins don't you?" Kokoro frowned at him. What he was smelling was probably the cigar smoke in his mustache. She knew it was only a publicity stunt, but that didn't give him an excuse to be mean.

Kokoro waited outside wile Gozaboro mingled with the children. After realizing he would be awhile, she wandered around aimlessly, eventually coming to a swing set. She sat on one of the swings and draped her arms around the chain. She let out a sigh as one of the doors came open and two boys came out. One had brown hair and blue eyes and the other had black hair and blue eyes.

She stared at the pair for along moment, neither noticed her. She could feel the Spark emanating from their beings. She pondered this until someone called her name.

"Kokoro!" Gozaboro beckoned from across the yard. She looked up, got up and jogged over to him. Now the boys noticed her and looked on in confusion.

"Pardon my asking sir, but is she your-"

"Daughter? No. She's the daughter of a colleague of mine who I met in college," he answered blandly. The caretaker nodded as the brown haired boy approached them, the smaller hiding behind him.

"Good afternoon sir," the brown hair boy addressed Gozaboro. He looked up at the boy as he did so.

"Hm, yeah I guess so kid." Kokoro watched him with interested eyes as he throws down his chess gauntlet1. The entire time his Spark burned brighter and brighter, as if it were about to ignite. His younger brother, she assumed, was quiet the entire time; as was his Spark.

"…Set us up in a quiet room." He turned to her. "Are you waiting out here or not?" She looked up at him.

"No sir," she replied politely.

"Very well." He stepped into the room and Kokoro followed him, eager to see what would happen. Having beaten him herself (which not a soul on earth knew besides them and her father), she wondered if he could do the same.

As the game began, Kokoro watched in fascination as the brown haired boy's strategy blossomed over Gozaboro's. She also tried not to laugh because Gozaboro looked like a dofus sitting in the kiddie chair.

The game wore on, until finally the boy called; "Checkmate." Gozaboro stared at the board in shock. Kokoro was surprised, but not feeling like he didn't deserve it for being overly confident.

"What? No one beats me at chess." Kokoro wanted to correct him, but she thought better of it and remained quiet. What troubled her more though was the prospect of her getting a new school mate; not that it wouldn't make it any less boring, but that she was still coping with Noah's 'death'.

"You might as well introduce yourself…" Gozaboro has said and pulled her from her event of zoning. The brown haired boy gave her a disgruntled look; the other boy looked up at her with curious eyes. The caretaker had gone off to get the paperwork.

She turned to the two boys with a smile. "Sorry, my mind started to wander. My name's Kokoro Mouto." Gozaboro rolled his eyes. "And yours?" She addressed them at the same time instead of individually, which to her she thought, was rude. The two boys exchanged looks. The older of the two answered first.

"Seto, my name's Seto." He put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "And this is my little brother, Mokuba." As his brother introduced him, he shyly waved. She smiled brightly, hiding the negative emotions she felt over losing Noah, fooling everyone but Seto.

After the caretaker came back with the papers, it was a long while before they left. In the car, as they pulled away from the orphanage, Gozaboro turned to her. "Are you mad? Spacing out like that! What would your father say!?" She glared her father's intimidating glare, and let out a harsh growl.

"Don't try and guilt trip me into doing your dirty work! If you think you can you're wrong!" Gozaboro faltered, she was too much like her father. She settled down a bit, her usual calm demeanor.

"'Sides, you just happened to come across two kids who both have the Spark," she added plainly. He said nothing, to shocked to retaliate.

1 metaphorically


	5. Chapter 5: First Day Home

**Because I'm lame and didn't remember to put this stuff in the first chapter. I DO NOT OWN YU-GI-OH OR ANY MONSTERS, IF I DO I WILL MENTION IT IN THE AUTHOR NOTES. There, I said it. I may be basing some of my scenes from the actual anime. There is also going to be no set deadlines for when chaps come out. Mainly because my only editor is a computer and a leave of absence from the story for a short peirod of time...Anyway, I hope you enjoy...I think I need to change the summary.**

* * *

Mokuba clung to the shirt tails of his brother, scared and not knowing what to expect. Everything was new to him, until he heard her voice.

"Hey! You guys are here!" Kokoro called from the top of the stairs. The two of them looked up at her, not expecting to her anything familiar aside from their stepfather.

"Kokoro?" Mokuba whispered as she came down the stairs. Seto didn't seem too happy to see her. He still thought the negativity he felt from her when they first met was her not approving of them.

"What're you doing here?" he asked as she came up. She frowned at him.

"Don't be such a sour puss. You'll get frown lines." He gave her a look, she returned it with the raise of her eyebrow. Mokuba stood behind his brother with a look of confusion plaguing his face. Kokoro looked around Seto at him and smiled.

"Don't be scared. Nobody here bites. Well, save Gozaboro-baakun, but he's always cranky," she said reassuringly. Seto looked at her in surprise, she'd called him 'old man Gozaboro'. Mokuba quietly giggled at her, in response Seto turned to him, giving him a 'shut up' kind of look.

"You didn't actually answer my question," he said in a slightly annoyed fashion, then looked back at her.

^_^; "Sorry. Most everyone here has a stick up their butt and it's a little annoying. As for my being here, well my dad's the instructor and I'm too smart for public school, private school's way to expensive and boarding school's full of a bunch of bores with money to waste and mock you with." Seto looked at her skeptically.

_'Her too smart for public school? Yeah right,'_ he thought to himself. _'Too eccentric maybe.'_ She frowned at him, guessing his thoughts by the look on his face.

"Kokoro?" called a voice from the top of the stairs. The three of them looked up at him. "There you are. I was wondering where you'd run off to." He started down the stairs.

"Gozaboro-baakun told you they'd be coming home today," she answered. She did it again, in front of someone who worked for him. Whoever the guy was, he didn't seem to mind her.

"Now Kokoro, he's not that much older than I am. And yes I remember what he told me." He lightly whapped her on the head with a paperback book. "You're such a goofball."

"Dad! I am not!" He raised an eyebrow and turned to the boys.

"You'll have to forgive her young masters. She's been cooped up in the same room for over four hours and was eager to get out. But anyhow, I'm Ryuu Mouto, your instructor," he said politely. Mokuba barely uttered a hello as Seto nodded his head. He wondered how the two of them could be so different.

"Well Ko, why don't you show the boys to their rooms while I prepare your next lesson?"  
"Ugh, another one?"  
"Kokoro…" he warned. She sighed.

"Alright." She looked at Seto. "Yours first, since its closer. C'mon." She started toward the staircase, the boys following.

"And try and behave yourself. You know Gozaboro-san doesn't like it when you call him 'baakun'," Ryuu remarked as she started up the stairs. She turned to him.

"I know daddy." She started up the stairs as her father chuckled.

On the next floor, she led them down a hallway and to the room that would be Seto's. She opened the door for them and allowed them both inside.

"Like I said Seto, this is your room. Two doors down is the bathroom and on the other side of that is an elevator, in case you're in a hurry. There's also a laundry shoot between them, but I don't recommend that…" Mokuba looked up at her.

"Why's that?"  
"Cuz it'll shred your clothes to pieces. Broken pieces of metal stick out in random spots and we haven't gotten it fixed yet," she answered simply. Seto flopped his suitcase on the bed.

"You don't live here do you?" he asked turning back to her. Her gaze turned to him.

"No. I live in the city with my parents and grandfather. My grandfather owns a game shop in town. Heh, actually my dad does but my grandpa runs it," she answered with a smile. There was something she was hiding, he could see it in her blue eyes.

"Really? That's awesome!" Kokoro smiled at the obviously impressed Mokuba.

"Mmhm. Especially since my grandfather's an excellent gamer. But he can't really compare with out brains," she said, pointing back and forth between her and Seto. That clinched it.

"OUR? Our brains? What do you mean our brains?" he snapped, causing Mokuba to jump. Kokoro looked at him as if she had expected him to ask, then he realized his mistake.

"You don't think you're the only on whose beaten Gozaboro-baakun at chess, do you?" she asked with a smirk. The two of them stared at her with wide eyes, then she turned and closed the door.

"But how? I memorized-"

"Every strategy he used. I know, I was there when you explained it. I've been gaming with my grandfather since I could almost talk. Gozaboro-baakun and my dad met in college, so they're comfortable with each other's tactics." Now she was almost a completely different person; analytical, serious.

"Since I was old enough to go to school, I've was in special classes because they classified my as a genius. I pretty much surpassed all my peers and any honors program they threw at me I refused. They were either too expensive annually or too far away from my family. Well, the moral of the story is-"

"Please don't say look both ways before crossing the street," Seto interrupted. She smiled in amusement.

"Actually, I was gonna say 'That's way my dad's teaching me'." He stared at her for a moment.

_'Women are confusing.'_ Seto thought. She only smiled at him

"But if you want me to be funny I certainly will," she said with a giggle. "Because trust me, most everyone here is all 'doom and gloom'." Mokuba snorted a quiet laugh.

"Oh c'mon Seto, that was funny," he said with a smile. Seto only raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry about it Mokuba. I'll get him to laugh, one of these days." Kokoro turned to the door. "I guarantee it. Now c'mon, your turn Mokuba. Let's go see your room." She started out of the room. Seto glared at the back of her head.

_'Yeah right…Guarantee my foot.'_ Mokuba followed Kokoro like a baby chick to its mother, which in itself annoyed him, but not what annoyed him the most about her. She spoke to him like they'd known each other for years, but Mokuba seemed to adore her.

"C'mon Seto," Mokuba called from the door.

"I'm coming." He started after them.

Kokoro led them to the other side of the house and opened the door to Mokuba's room. Mokuba looked up at Kokoro.

"Why're our rooms separate?" he asked. Kokoro's eyes drifted to the floor, and didn't answer right away.

"Gozaboro-baakun thought it would be best for your schooling if you two were separated," she answered glumly. Their eyes widened in surprise, but before either of them could say anything, she continued. "Personally, I don't think its fair, to keep family separated. If I was separated like this from my brother, I think I'd die…" Seto looked at her as she folded her hands in front of her.

"Do you have any siblings, Ko?" Mokuba asked as he looked up at her face, which turned sad.

"Yes…A younger brother…Not much older that you Mokuba…" Seto looked at her, her gloomy face. Mokuba put a hand on her arm.

"Is he here?" he asked, trying to comfort her.

"No. He's with my mom and grandfather in the city," she answered with a slight grin. Seto looked at her with worried eyes, as if she would burst into tears without notice, but she regained her composure.

"But alas, I digress." She was back to normal as she pointed out the geography by Mokuba's room. Seto looked at her curiously as she described a few other things about he house and added: "And just between you guys and me, I probably know my way around the house better than the butler."  
She was certainly an odd one, but Mokuba wasn't afraid of her like he was everyone else. Seto's resolve was staring to fall apart, she didn't not approve of him and Mokuba. It partially felt like she had chosen them instead of Seto choosing Gozaboro.

"So would you rather stay and unpack or come with me and your brother so I can show him where the classroom is?" Her clear voice snapped Seto from his thought.

"I'll go with you guys."  
"Good choice. Cuz if ya don't get the tour from me, then Hopson'll have to and he's not the nicest guy in the world. Not to mention he's older than a wrinkle on dirt." Seto gave her a look.

"Wouldn't that make him dead?" Mokuba asked. Kokoro chuckled.

"Yes, technically. That's why he's so creepy," she laughed. In an amused fashion, Seto rolled his eyes.

"C'mon then. Before Hopson comes in and decides to give you the tour himself." She started out of the room, the boys following behind her.

She showed the boys almost every inch of the house, commentating the entire time. Only once did they see the old butler, which they were glad for because he was creepier than what the brothers had imagined. She showed them to the classroom last, and until that point, Seto had only listened, never asked any questions.

"So, do you know when I'm supposed to start my instruction?" They had stopped outside the classroom door. Mokuba looked up at him curiously while Kokoro put a finger to her chin as she thought about it.

"Hm. Ya know, I'm not sure. Gozaboro-baakun never said anything about it to me. But you can ask my dad, he might know," she answered sympathetically.

"Then let's ask him." She shrugged and knocked on the door. Taptaptap. Tap

"Come in Ko," said his voice from beyond the door. Kokoro pushed open the door to reveal the classroom's interior. It looked more like a library than a classroom. Her father was leaning over a paper on his desk as they walked up. When they came to his desk, he looked up.

"Ah, Ko, Seto, Mokuba. I was wondering when you'd stop in," he said with a smile. Kokoro had his exact smile, Seto noted as he stood up. He looked down at the three of them. "But I sense you didn't come to chit chat." He came around the front of his desk and leaned against it. "So, what is it?"  
Not quiet sure how to ask, Seto hesitated. "I was just curious to know when you'd start teaching my brother and me." Ryuu lightly chuckled.

"You, Seto, will start bright and early tomorrow morning. As for your brother, well, Gozaboro-san hasn't decided when he should start. Your step-father wants you to get on the same level as Kokoro, but unfortunately for you it might take awhile if we only went a few days a week. So he decided to have you go to classes five days a week." Seto's surprise face looked down at the floor, Kokoro stepped up to comfort him, but Ryuu started to speak again.

"Ko-pyon, why don't you take Mokuba to his room to unpack. I'd like a word with Seto alone," he said, so plainly it was almost emotionless. She looked up at him.

"But-"

"Kokoro…"he said warningly. Troubled, she took Mokuba's shoulder.

"C'mon Mokuba. Let's-"

"No," he refused. "What he can say to my brother, he can say to me." Not particularly surprised by his outburst, Ryuu folded his arms.

"Mokuba…"Seto's voice dropped.

"It's not so much as what you hear. It's what my daughter hear, and she won't leave without good reason. So, if you please." Hanging his head in defeat, he followed Kokoro out of the room.

After they left and closed the door, Seto rounded on Ryuu. "You lied to him!"  
"Hardly Seto. I only persuaded him to escort Ko-pyon out. I wasn't lying when I said she won't leave without good reason. She's nosey and stubborn that way and she knows she is." Seto found that out the hard way, but it surprised him that he was so critical of her.

"Hm. How to put this…" Ryuu scratched his chin in thought. "Ko-pyon is not always the easiest person to get along with. Especially if you don't know about her history and how she reacts to things."

"I don't understand sir." To Seto, the point was moot.

"She told me you felt her negativity at the orphanage, and that you thought that she didn't approve of the two of you because of that." He stared, surprised that she had known that. Then again, she tricked him into an outburst.

"The reason I asked you to stay behind was for me to tell you this: Kokoro doesn't hate you or your brother. It's quiet the contrary actually. She felt bad that day because recently she lost a schoolmate and well, you can see where that went."

"Ko-pyon is sensitive, more than she'll care to admit. Her friends and family mean the world to her, but people don't like to get close to her because in the city, everyone from your step-father to normal citizens know who she is. Unfortunately, with that kind of popularity comes a hefty price.

"As I'm sure she told you about the honors programs she was exposed to and our dilemma with private and boarding school." Seto nodded in reply, and Ryuu continued. "After Gozaboro-san agreed to allow her to be taught here with me, and after she beat him at chess-"

"So she really did beat him?" he interrupted.

_; "Yes, and it isn't polite to interrupt Seto."  
"Sorry…"

"Anyway, after we came here, rumor began to circulate. Things that shouldn't be repeated," his voice suddenly dropped into a low growl. Seto's eyes widened in surprise. His teethe where gritted and his hand was balled into a fist.

"I can see where she gets her sensitivity, sir." The low growling ceased and Ryuu looked at him in surprise. The boy's gaze hadn't faltered, and Ryuu's face relaxed.

"I suppose you're right. Mea culpa, I let my temper get the better of me. Tch, and that's rather unusual for me," he joked. Seto didn't reply, he was horribly confused.

"Don't fret over your confusion. You'll come to understand soon enough. It might serve you better if you get into the swing of things first. You'll be less confused that way. Well, that's all I have to say. You're free to go. Oh, but one last thing; Don't tell Kokoro I lost my temper. She hates it when I do, and she'll rip me a new one if she finds out," he said.

_; "Tell me you're kidding."  
"Nope." Seto groaned.

_'Great. She has a temper too,'_ he thought, but turned to his teacher.

"Alright, I won't tell her," he agreed and Ryuu smiled.

"Thank you Seto. Now run along before Mokuba worries himself into anemia."

"I don't think Kokoro-san would let him," he said as he turned to leave. Ryuu watched him leave and heaved a sigh after the door closed.

"He seem to have a good head on his shoulders. I hate to put him through any of this…" He seemed to be talking to no one, then he pulled a Duel Monster card from his pocket: Dark Sage. "What do you think old friend?"


	6. Chapter 6: What Friends are For

The next few days or so dragged on. While Kokoro and Seto weren't in class, and when she was there, the threesome was inseparable. Kokoro and Seto played a few games between their classes and Mokuba learned a few things from them.

Unfortunately, Seto began dozing off in classes, and much to his dismay, Gozaboro noticed. He confronted Seto about it and not only punished him, but Kokoro and Ryuu as well.

"Starting today, you will no longer have the weekends off," he said as his plate came in front of him. Kokoro and Seto looked up at him in surprise as Ryuu turned around from pouring himself some wine.

"What!? But I've been working so hard!"  
"Obviously not hard enough!" Ryuu put down the wine bottle.

"Is that really necessary Gozaboro?"  
"Yes. Hopson!" The butler came in and almost made Mokuba shudder. "Confiscate all of Seto's toys..." Kokoro glared at him. Ryuu's hair stood on end angrily as his colleague gave the order to remove the so called 'distractions' from his step-son's room.

Later, Hopson came out of Seto's room with a box full of games and assortments of toys. "It's for your own good. Your father is a wise man," he said as he walked out. Kokoro watched him walk away from the joining of the two hallways, wondering what she could do.

Days with the new schedule dragged on. Seto flopped down on the couch in the library. _"Ugh, if I see another text book, I think I'm gonna barf..."_

"Sleeping already? You still have one more lesson left tonight," said the intruding butler as he placed down a book in front of him. "And you left this text book behind. If I were you I'd be more careful next time."

"Whatever you say Hopson," he grumbled into the seat. Hopson started out.

"Your next lesson's in one hour." He left the room.

_"I can't take this!"_ He tossed the book aside, only to find and note wedged into a hollowed out part of the book. He looked at it in confusion and picked it up.

_"Dear Seto,_

_ I guess you found my hiding place. Remember big bro, they can't take away everything from us. So enjoy my gift, but don't let them find it._

_ Love Moki"_

He smiled at the note, "Thanks bro." He picked up whatever else Mokuba had wedged into the book. "My Duel Monster cards. Well, they're not the greatest cards, but their mine." He continued to flip through them until he came across a very peculiar one.

"A Blue Eyes White Dragon? Mokuba made me a Blue Eyes card." He stepped out onto the balcony. "One day, I know I'll have the real thing in my deck. Just wait."

"So you do play," said a sleepy, familiar voice. Surprised, Seto wheeled around to face the intruder, only to come face to face with Kokoro.

"Oh, Kokoro it's you. I thought Hopson had come back." She smiled.

"You're lucky he didn't." She glanced at the cards with tired eyes. His gaze softened as he spoke again.

"...I'm sorry..."She looked up at him surprised. "...That I got you and your dad into this mess..." He clenched a fist and she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be, it's not your fault. Dad and I aren't gonna blame this on you," she answered as she fished her other hand into her pocket. From the pocket she produced a pack wrapped in a piece of paper that looked like a sad attempt at origami; she held it out to him.

"Here. I got these for you. There's not a whole lot there but it's a start I guess," she said with a smile. He didn't know what to say to her.

"Why did you-" She stopped him.

"I did it because one; Gozaboro-baakun can't do this, it's stupid. And two; because that's what friends do, they look out for each other," she said with another smile. He handed her the cards Mokuba had given him so he could open the ones she had given him, but as he turned it over, on the crease was Kokoro's handwriting.

_"This I can't say aloud. There is a darker force looming over Gozaboro-baakun, the darkness of his own greed. Everything he is and will put you through is in the hopes to have you someday run __his__ company __his__ way. We don't blame you for the new schedule, but there is no room for error anymore. We're in this together, and I warn you now as a friend. Every person has to trust __someone__, otherwise they'll go mad. It's up to you whether to trust me or not, but I'd feel bad if I didn't offer some kind of advice._

_ Kokoro_

_P.S. BURN AFTER READING!!!"_

After he finished, he looked up at her and she was still smiling.

"Cuz that's what friends are for."


End file.
